Railway track-spreader.



o. c. MANN. l RAILWAY TRACASPREADERI AIPLICATION FILED OCT. 8.19K4. v

Patented Deo. 19, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

(A). C. MANN.

RAILWAY YRACK SPREADER.

APPLICATION FILED 0011811914.

Patented Dee. 19, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.'

0. C. MANN.

RAILWAY TRACK SPREADER.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. H, 1914.

m y 9 Y f Iwm mw um n Q on CH UNITED STATES PATENT oEEioE.

DEVILLE C. MANN, OF OAK PARILILLINOIS.

Application fde. October 8, 1914.-.

travel on a railway track and equipped with apparatus vand devices for spreading earth in leveling and trimming the track, and adapted Valso for use inA clearing snow from the track.

1t consists in the elements and features of lconstruction shown and described as indicated in claims.

In the drawings Figure l isa side elevation of a p ortion of a car embodying this invention. Fig. 2, is a plan view of the same showing the various spreadingdevices in operative position for spreading` dirt at one side of the track, the. devices at the opposite side of the track beingl out of operative position. Fig. 3 is a front end elevation of same. Fig. 4 is a det-ailed plan of the sidesills and converging forward under-sills and the forward end of the longitudinal central beam of the platform frame. F ig. 5 is a detailed horizontal section through the corner junction of one of the side-sills and the adjacent oblique forward end-sill, on a larger sca-le than the remaining figures.'

ln the structure shown in the drawings the car which forms a part of the spreading apparatus and upon which the spreading devices are mounted `and operated, is of the nature of a flatcar having a floor of heavy metal plate, A, the platform frame comprising longitudinal sills, B, B, which are preferably made of channel iron and which are practically continuous with end sills, C, also made of channel iron (one end of the car only being shown and only one of the endsills therefore appearing), the channel bar for the end-sills being bent to form. oblique corner slopes, C1 C1, deflected inward at an `angle of approximately degrees to the longitudinal vertical `planes of the side-sills, B, the said slopes being formed at opposite sides of the draw-bar, across and above which the channel bar, C, forming the end- Specification of Letters Patent.

RAILWAY TRACK-SPREADEB.

Patented Eec. 19., laid.

Serial No. t".

sills extends in direcuy transverse direction., giving to the platform of t e car blunt end tapered off obliquely at both sides. The end-sill, C, is secured to the side-sills, B, la, by lapping the web of the end-sill on to the web of the side-sills and riveting the same together securely, the of the end-sill being cut away at the ends to the extent of such lap of the webs upon each other. Substantially the entire extent of the tapered end of the platform frame which is defined by they fron-t sills formed as described, is situated forward of 'the forward truck, which is .represented by its end truss, D. Any desired number of cross-beams may be provided to connect the lateral sills, B, B,

at different points throughout the length of the car.

In front of the tapered end of the platform frame there is mounted a prow, E, comprising divergently sloping skirts or defiecting members, El El, rigidly united at the apex of the prow below the draw-bar, and notched through. the apex, to accommodate the draw-bar at opposite sides of which said `deiecting members, El, extend upA in front of the diverging slopes, C1 C1, of the front sills. C. The skirt members or deflectors, El El, are rigidly framed together by suitable cross-braces and angle members extending under the sill, C, forward of the forward truck. In addition to such braces each of said members, E1 has rigid with it near the rear end post, F, each of said posts comprising two vertically positioned channel bars, F1 F2, the channel bars, F1, being inside. and the channel bars, F2, being outside the longitudinal sills, B, B, respec tively. The two bars ofeach post and the two posts, comprising the four channel bars, are rigidly connected together by a crossbeam which preferably consists of two channel bars, Gand (ikinested together channel to channel, one being narrower than the other, said channel bars being braced by fillers, g-g, and suitably bolts-.i together to constitute a practically rectangular hollow beam. This beam is located near thevlo-wer end of said posts and is bolted rigidly to the posts at the rear side. At the outer sides of the longitudinal sills, B, B, respectively, there are rigidly bolted heavy flat metal plates, H, H, extending downward from said sills respectively, and having' near their lower ends vertically elongated slots, H1 H1,

whose transverse dimension adapt them to receive the ends ofthe rectangular .hollow beam referred to, loosely enough to permit it to slide vertically in said slots, and by this means the lower ends of the posts, G-G1, are checked in the direction longitudinal of the car and guided vertically, said posts being checked transversely of the I, car by the two'members of each post being positioned as described at opposite sides of the longitudinal sills, B, adjacent to which a post is located. Said posts are further guided, considerably above their lower ends, by heilig engaged in notches, A1 A1, inthe lateral edges of the flooring plate, A. From the cross-beam, Gr G1, braces, K, K, are extended forward t'o the oblique skirt members or deiiectors, E1, E1,`of the prow, E. Above the platform ofthe car the posts, F, F, are connected by a pair of trusses, J, J, constituting a cross-beam',lpositioned at a considerabledistance above the surface of'the platform, A. The two trusses are bolted at the opposite sides' of the post members, F1 F, whereby they. are spaced apart, and they are also spaced apart and secured together by plates jmv, positioned intermediate the ends of the trusses.

The platform frame of the car supports air cylinders L, L, located under the crossbeam above described, and the pistons or plungers, M, operating in said cylinders are operatively connected to the said cross-beam for raising and lowering said beam and thereby raising and lowering the prow, E, when compressed air is admitted and re leased from the'cylinders by means not shown.

As mentioned above the prow, E, is notched to accommodate the draw bar in the fnp and down movement of the prow. This notch, E5, it is desirable to close to prevent dirt from being passed through it and left on the track, causing the track to be in untidy condition after the spreader has passed over it. For this purpose there is provided a hood, V,which .is carried rigidly on the forward end of the longitudinal central beam, Z, of the platform frame. This hood is V shape in horizontal section to conform to the divergently 'sloping corner members, l1 (l1, of the front sill, (l, that is positioned with its forward horizontal diver-ging surfaces in the vertical planes of the forward surfaces of said (livel-ging members, C1 (l1, of the forward end sill, said hood having its entire extent at a lower position than the sills of the platform frame. jlt is secured ai'iiilheld in this position by brackets, Z1, er tending to it from the said-central sill, Z,

having its forward surfaces seated against.

the rear surfaces of the divergent detlectors, E1 E1, of the prow, E, so that the prow in its up-arul-down movement slides on these' surfaces as it does npon the forward surhood, V, makes an effective closure for the notch throughout the entire range of the up-and-down sliding movement of the prow, that is closing the notch entirely up to the draw bar, above which point nthe directly transverse middle portion of the forward sill is positioned. This hood, V, being supported as described on the 'central longitudinal sill of the platform frame serves conveniently as lodgment for the drawbar at its emergence past the directly transverse middle portion of the front sill, C.

Upon the upper side of the platform frame journaled in pillow-blocks or standards, Q, thereV are mounted longitudinally extending rock-shafts, N, N, which at one end extend transversely of the truss cross-beam below the same. Each has a crank, N1, which is connected by a pitinan or operating link, N2, with a pivot, N3, which-extends be. tween the two trusses. By these means the' raising and lowering of the truss beam operi atesto rock the shafts, N, the length of the cranks, N1, being so related to the extent of the up-and-down movement of the cross beam as to cause said'shafts to be rocked through an angle of about degrees. Each shaft, N, has a lever-arm, N4, which at one limit of the rocking movement of the shaft extends substantial y horizontally above the iioor of the platform, and atl the other limit of said rocking movement is substantially vertical. The constructions-each involving the rock-shaft with its crank, lever-arm and operating connections are exact duplicates, said du .licate constructions being symmetrically isposed with respect'to thelongitu- 11-1 dinal middle line of the Jlatform, each at a short distance laterally. rom said line, and the cranks of said rock-shafts both extend outwardly from their-respective shafts, so that the shafts are rocked inopposite directions by the same movement of the trussbeam and parts connected therewith. At the lowest portion of the truss-beam the lever-arms of both the rock-shafts extend outwardly from the shaft toward, and substantially reaching to,v the v,opposite sides of the car platform frame; and .at that position of said shaft the cranks 'extend outi Vwardly from their respectiveV shafts and downwardly at an angle of ten or fifteen degrecs below horizontal, so that they are in favorable position for rocking the shaft upon the upward movement of the trussbeam causing lthe pitlnen of the respective connections, to pull upward upon the crank wrists. This relative disposition of the members of the rock-shafts it will be seen tends to yield the most effective action of the leverarms upon the connections for which they are designed, as hereinafter described, and

incastro just behind the rear outer end of the shirt or deiiecting member, El, of the prow spreading wing, 0, the hinge of said spreading win at its forward end being adapted to-permrt the wing to swing inwardly and outwardly that is, toward and 'from the car, and a so upwardly and downwardly at its rear free end. For controlling such swinging movement of the wing there are provided controlling links, P, P1, pivotally 'connected at their inner ends to the side of the car and at their outer ends to the wing at points separated along the width of the wing.l rThe Inode of operation of these con trolling links is familiar and need not be `further described except to say that they operate to cause the Wing, when it is pulled upward at its rear end, to swing inward and collapse .against the side of the car, and when it is swung outward at its rear end to descend at the rear end, preserving its position substantiall" in a vertical plane throughout all its sai movements. For giving the wings this movement (in addition to other operating means not shown) a flexible connection, such asa chain, T, is extended from the end of the lever-arm, N4, of the proximate rock-shaft andconnected to the wing at its inner side near its rear end and somewhat nearer its upper than its lower edge. By the connection described it wiilbe seen that when the air cylinders are Voperated for causing their plungers to lift the trussbeams and thereby lift the prow, E, the same moi/*ement causes the lateral wing, O, to be lifted and swung inward and collapsed against the side of the car; and when the reverse action of the plungers in the cylinders causes'the prow, E, to be lowered to operative position close above the rails, that movement causes the lateral wings to be swung outward and downward to their operative position for spreading the earth which may be delivered to them by the prow clear- Ling the middle portion of the track or to be yfound by them in their path at the side ot the track as the car advances. The ienibiiity of the operating connections from the leveraImS, N, to the wing, is necessary to permit either Wing to be raised, if desired, while the prow and the other wing are down at their working positions.

It frequently happens that dirt which has been distributed along the track for the purpose'of being afterward spread evenly thereupon or upon the embankment, is so uneven'ly delivered, or that the road-bed or embankment is so unevenly in need of filling, that a considerable excess ofearth may be encountered for several rods along the track which excess is needed a few rods later; and it is desirable that this excess should be automatically carried 'forward by the spreading device and droppedvwhere the condition of the road-bed or einbanlnnent requires it for filling to the level at which the spreading devices are set for leveling the track. For this purpose there is hinged to cach of the wings, O, at the outer side thereof, that is the side which is outward when the wing is'collapsed against the side of the cas', a supplemental win-g, i which extends torward from its hinged end and is intended to fold flat against the outer side ot thc lateral wing, O, by gravity when that wing is folded inward against the car and lifted upward, so that the supplemental "wing, 01,' hangs downward from ts' hinge. This supplemental wing 1y this construction adapted to swing outward from the lateral wing, 0, when said lateral 'wing' is suuug down to its operative spreading position; und it will be seen that it will be .automatically drawn outward so as to stand at a forwardly open angle to said wing` Plien v thc car is advanced so that the lateral wing encounters earth to he spread, if the earth as encountered becomes engaged between said supplemental wing and the lateral wing when said supplemental wing isswung outV so that it projects somewhat outward from the foro and ai't 'path in which it is carried by the advance of the car. It will valso be seen that the supplen'iental wings will come to such a position in the downward and upward swinging movement of the lateral w'nig when this is swung down to operative position, especially if this lateral wing is dropped and swung somewhat rapidly from its ,folded-up to its lowered operativelposition. It is, therefore, not considered necessary ordinarily to provide any particular means for swinging the supplemental wing outward to its operative position. But it is necessary to provide means for checking it against swinging too far outward, and for this purposeits free end is preferably connected by chain, R, which extends forward and inward toward the car and 'may be connected to any convenient' part of the car or of anything moving With the car ahead of it, as,vfor example, the engine which may be attached to the spreader carfor propelling it over the track.

It is often desirable to transfer the dirt from one side of the track to the other. For this purpose there is provided af removable deector, S, of suii'icient length to eX- tend obliquely across the track from the the middle thereof outward and forward substantially at' the angle of inclination of either side of the prow, and of such extent as to reach as far outside the track at either side to which itmay be extended as it is considered desirable to engage outlyingV to either side so as to project in the direction of either of the oblique skirts or deflec'tors of the prow forward and in frontY of-the other of said skirts, and thereby be adapted to transfer earth from the rside at which it` projects into the path of the oppo-l site oblique side of the prow by which such earth will be farthermoved outward and deposited at the opposite side of the track from that at which it is engaged by the dey Hector, S. It is necessary to `brace 4the forwardly projecting end of the defiector, S,

and for that purpose brace-links, S2, S2, may be provided adapted to be rigidly engaged with the rear side` ef the deflector near its forward end and thence extending up rearward for'connection to the brackets. 1?, t, which are provided on the front side of each of the diver-ging skirts of the prow.

For the purpose of cutting a ditch at the. slide of the track the-lateralvwing, O. is

adapted to carry a ditch-cutting blade, ylV,

which is in the form-of a truncated triangle, the slopes of the downwardly converging lateral edges and the length of the truncated' l bottom edge being such as to produce the desired conformation of the ditch when ditching blade advances while lstanding at an angle of about 45 degrees, across the path of advance. The lower margin ofthe wing, O, is provided with bolt holes, vo, at any of which the ditching blade'lmay be secured by bolts, 01, said blade having a suitable number of boltholes along its upper margin for receiving the required number of bolts to hold it firmly to' the wing, 0.

The wings, 0, and the skirt, Ffgof the prowy and the deflector, S, are preferably made 4with forwardly or outwardly projectn ing flanges, designated by letters, o2., e, and a, respectively, for shaving the earth smoothly in the advancing and spreading movement. Since the defiector, S, is 4designed to be positioned with either face forward according to whether it is swung to the right-hand or to the left-hand s'ide of the track, its lower edge is provided with a liange, s, projecting in both directions. The

'the top surface of the rails to a car having a forlnframe at the forward end bevele olf skirts,`E1, on the deflector, E, are'preferably dimensioned so that these `flanges at their lower edges shave the earth avery short distance above the top of the ties both inside and outside the rail; and to do this said skirts and'deflector are notched as shown' at E4 E4, and S, respectively,`where they must cross the rails and extend lower than as stated. I claims- `1. A railway track spreader comprisingV draw-bar and having its lat at both corners substantially'from the opposite sides of the draw-bar to a transverse vertical plane at the forward j end of the truck; a prow comprising two divergent defleeting for vertical movement against the bevelsof the platform, said prow being cutaway through the apex at a distance `"above the' lower edge of'said prow at the position of l the draw-bar, to accommodate the draw-bar in such up-anddown movement of the prow, and means on the car for supporting, raising and lowering the prow.

A2. A railway track spreader comprising -a 'car having a'draw-bar and having its platform frame at the forward end beveled oif at both corners substantially from the opposite sides of the'draw-bar to a transverse vertical plane at the forward 'end of the truck; a prow or V-shaped delector having its diverging sides mounted for vertical movement against'y the bevels of the platform; a transverse horlzontal framing bar which is rigid with the divergent side Inem-y 'bers of said' prow at the lower part there" of, and upright postswhich are rigidi ex-j tended upward from said transverse framing bar through the platform; a cross-beam' which rigidly connects said posts at their upmembers` rigidly united, -mountcd per ends, and means acting upon'the cross beam for-'raising and lowering the posts and thereby raisingand lowering the prow, and

guiding brackets extending rigidly from the sides of the platform outside said posts, said brackets being provided each with a vertical slot and the ends of said transverse framing bar being engaged in said slots for guiding the row in such up-and-down movement for chec ring the same against, any forwardmovement relative to the platform.`

3. A railway tra-ck spreaderV comprising a car having a draw-bar and having its plate form frame at the forward end' beveled oli-'7 at bothfcorners substantially from theloppon site sides of the draw-'bar to a transverse vertical plane at the forward end of the` truck; a prow or 'il-shaped deiiector having its diverging sides mounted fory vertical movement against the bevels of `the `platform; `the platform frame comprising 1ongitudinal. side bars from the ends of the 1 1 parel ners of platform extend; means for framing rigidly together the said diverging sides of `the prow, comprising a cross-beam extending `below theplatform and crossing ander the longitudinal side bars of sai-d platform frame, and Jcie bars which Connect said cross-beam rigidly with said diverging memhers of the prow; posts rigidly seeured to the cross-beam atihe opposite end portions thereof, each post comprising two members, one extending up inside and the other' er;n lending up outside of the longitudinal side bar of 'ehe platform 5 brackets rigidly secured to the 'platform at the outer sides of said longitudinal side bars of the platform, said brackets being provided each with a rearwardly-facing vereieal edge, the ends of the erossheain being extended beyond the posts and engaging behind said veriieal edges of lie brackets respectively for checking the prow against swinging forwardly and for guiding the same in vertical movement; a. orosshead connecting nhe posts at their upper ends, and means `operating upon the erosshead forlif'lzing and lowering the prow.

d. A. railway spreader comprising in combination with a oar a defleeting prow positioned in frenil of the forward truck and mounted on the car platform frame for up and down movement past the forward end of said frame, means on the ear for so moving it; a lateral wing hinged at its forward end to the can behind the outer end of the prow in position 'lo receive and further defleeuthe material deflected and delivered by the prow for swinging at 'the rear end toward and from she car, means. for controlling the rear end of said wing in such swinging, and connections by which the upward movementof the prow pulls on Jhe wing swing it inward and upward; whereby such wing collapsed against the side of 'the car when the prow 'is lifted. out of working position.

5. d railway spreader comprising in eoi bination with a ear a deiieoting prow posi- 1lsioned in from; of the forward truck 'and mounted on the oar platform frame for up and down movemen'J past the forward end of said frame; a roch. shaft journaled longiaudinally on the piaf-form frame of she oar having a crank-arm, a. member sonnented with. prow so as to partake of the up and down movement of alle latter, and conneeiions from such niemloer to the eranloarm :for rocking' the shaft oy `llie np and down movemenl of ihe prow said shaft having also a lever arm which extends upwardly at elle position of rock shaft at the upper limit of the movement'l of the prow; a lateral wing hinged ai its forward end to ille car behind 'the osier end of said prow .for swinging at itsI rear end toward and from the ear, and a Connection from said lateral wing lio said lever arm whereby' the .al por-tions of which the 1beveled co'rarm is swung inward and upward by thev rocking of the shaft which'results upon the upward movement of the front prow.

6. A railway spreader comprising in combination with a car a prowpositioned in front of the forward truck and mounted on the 'car platform frame for up' and down movement at the .forward end of said frame;l means on the car. for so movingv it;I lateral wings hinged attheir forward ends to the opposite sides of the car behind the outer end of the prow for swinging at their rear ends toward and from the car,.a pair of perf allel longitudinally journaled rock-shafts on the platform frame each having a. crankarm; connections from'lthe prow",- to such. 'crank-arms for rocking the two shafts in opposite directions by the u Ward movement of the prow, said r0ck-sha ts having-each a lever-arm, said lever-,arms being positioned with respectJ to the crank-arms so as to be upstanding at the position to' which the rook-shaft is rocked by the upward movement of the prow, and connections from said lever-arms respectively to the respective lat-- 9o eral wings for operating them by the movement of the prow.

7. A railway spreader having in combination with a car a lateral wing hinged ati its forward end to the car for swinging at the rear end toward and,fr0m the Car, means controlling the rear end of such swinging f movement and meansy for swinging it; a. supplemntal wing hinged at its rear end to the outer side of said lateral wing, adapted 13m to fold inward against said lateral wing and to be swung outwardly therefrom so as to extend forward 'therefrom at a deliveryobstructing angle thereto, and a stay-link connected with the free end of said supple- 135 mental wing for limiting the spread of said supplemental wing away from the said lateral wing at such delivery-obstructing angle.

8. A railway spreader Comprising in combination with a car, a lateral wing hinged at its forward end to the car for swinging at its rear end toward and fromthe oar also up and down; means for controlling the rear end of said wing in such swinging, and means for swinging it; a supplemental wing hinged at its rear end to the outer surface of said lateral wing for swinging out wardly away from the latter and folding up flat against it; and a stay connection from a forward point of the car to the 12o free end of the said supplemental wing connected and dimensioned for limiting the spread of said supplemental wing away from the lateral wing at a deliveryeobstructing angle between. said wing, said stay being iexihle, whereby' the supplemental wing hangs freely against the lateral wing when the lat-ter is elevated out of service.

9. A railway track spreader comprising a oar having i'fssv platform frame at the for- 130 ward end beveled oil' at both corners, the

bevels having their proximate ends positioned at the Vertical longitudinal planes of the opposite sides of the drawbar; a deilecting ,prow mounted on the platform frame of the ca r adapted for L1p-anddown movement; means carried on the car for raising and loweringsaid prow, said defleotor having a notch in its `apex to accommode-te the drawbar in said 11p-anddown movement vof they prow and a. V shaped hood carried rigidly by the platform frame positioned with its forward divergng surfaces substantially in the vertical planes of the forward sides of said beveled-off corners vof the platform frame and the rear diverging surfaces of the prow and adapted in its vertical extent for closing said notch below the drawbar throughout the entire range of vertical movement of the prow.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Chicago, Illinois, thisth day of October 1914.

ORVILLE C. MANN.

Witnesses:

EDNA M. MACINTOSH. LUCY I. STONE.v 

